Not a great start to the finals on "American Idol" this season. Tonight, the remaining twelve contestants could choose any song from the 1960s to perform. Here's the lineup:
1. Jessica Sierra - "Shop Around" (1960)
2. Anwar Robinson - "A House Is Not A Home" (1964)
3. Mikalah Gordon - "Son Of A Preacher Man" (1968)
4. Constantine Maroulis - "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (1969)
5. Lindsey Cardinale - "Knock On Wood" (1966)
6. Anthony Fedorov - "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" (1962)
7. Nadia Turner - "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" (1966)
8. Bo Bice - "Spinning Wheel" (1969)
9. Vonzell Solomon - "Anyone Who Had A Heart" (1964)
10. Scott Savol - "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" (1966)
11. Carrie Underwood - "When Will I Be Loved" (1960)
12. Nikko Smith - "I Want You Back" (1969)
ZMethos: Here are the contestants that I felt did well: Constantine (trying to claw his way back up after that terrible take on "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"); Anthony (although the judges did not agree); Nadia; and Bo, who was my particular favorite, although I'm probably just biased at this point. But he's clearly comfortable with the stage and the audience, and he did a fantastic job of choosing a song he knew, a song that suited him perfectly.
A number of the singers, meanwhile, fell into the so-so category. I think these people did okay but not great: Jessica; Anwar (who I expect better from because I know he's capable); Vonzell; and Scott, who did a great job technically, but who I wasn't "feeling" tonight--it was like there was no force of emotion behind his voice, and with a song like "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," I just felt like I needed to believe what he was singing was true.
Scott: I agree that Constantine really recovered from the past few weeks of horrible showings with tonight's performance; he was the real surprise tonight.
Article comments
1 - Susan Bond
Great review. I agree about Mikalah, but, she is probably the worst sounding contestant I've ever heard in the finals. Last year, Jasmine seemed to be as wretched as they come, but, she sounds like Barbra Streisand compared to this pseudo wanna be mini-Barbra/Fran Dresher clone is. Her singing is beyond merely bad. Her tone is hoarse, nasal, uncontrolled, and she sounds like she has a mouth full of squid when she sings. She cannot enunciate, and her style is pretentious, overly ambitious, ineffective and actually silly. While she is a stunning kid, I agree that she dresses and acts like a cross between a Vegas call girl, and a Vegas stripper. She is vulgar, and not in an endearing way at 17. There's something disheartening about a slutty brat boasting that she deserves fame and fortune because she doesn't cook, clean and won't walk her own dog, and besides, she needs to buy her flat-chested mom breast implants. She is odiously flirtatious with Simon, flaunting herself at him, and annoying beyond mere words. I have actually decided that I need to have a time-out with my once favorite show, and will not, cannot watch UNTIL and if she gets voted off.
She has simply ruined the show for me, and while I don't think she will succeed in going to the top 6, I can't watch far better singers go home. If she does go up to the finals, like Jasmine did last year, sending home Jennifer London, and George Huff, then it's time for me to give up this show. It's not worth the aggravation, and it's no longer entertaining. Thanks for letting me ventilate. AUGHH! I cannot stand her!
2 - Eric Olsen
Thanks guys!
agree that Mikalah was really awful this week, and I have pretty much given up on her
Scott can sing, but the guy is pretty unlikeable as well as being notably unattractive and boring as a performer.
3 - JIm
Mikalah is awful.
Here is an American Idol crossword puzzle:
http://www.grosswords.com/idolprint.htm